Do you cut back agapanthus in winter?
The best season to cut agapanthus back hard is early spring or late winter. Leaves in winter can protect rhizomes from rotting in the sun or the cool rain while insulating the roots against cold temperatures. I would suggest dividing them every 4 to 5 years, otherwise they crowd together underground, which can affect the flowering. You can divide the clumps of Agapanthus into smaller clumps.Grow agapanthus in well-drained soil in a sheltered spot in full sun. Agapanthus do well in pots. Cut back spent flowerheads after blooming and mulch annually with well-rotted compost or other organic matter.Most agapanthus flower for around six weeks, while some cultivars have been selected to bloom for 10 to 12 weeks. Everpanthus, on the other hand, has an extra long blooming time – 17 weeks from spring right through to late summer!Plant agapanthus in spring, ideally in March or April. Some varieties can be planted in September.
Is agapanthus blue a perennial or annual?
Free-flowering, Agapanthus Brilliant Blue (African Lily) is a compact herbaceous perennial, boasting loose clusters of rich blue flowers, adorned with a darker stripe running through each petal. After 5 years, it will produce more than 100 flowers each summer. Once your Agapanthus has finished flowering for Spring, you can cut off the stem leaving the foliage to die back naturally. This will feed the bulbs for them to flower again the following the year.Agapanthus ‘Navy Blue’ is our best selling Agapanthus, and with good reason – it is tough, it is upright, and it produces lots and lots of dark-navy-blue flowers for a long, long time. We seem to grow it everywhere – check it out next to Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’.You can prune agapanthus at any time of year to remove dead, damaged or diseased foliage. For deciduous varieties, spent foliage can be removed in late fall, but this will leave the crown exposed to the winter elements. Never remove foliage after blooming as this deprives the plant of the energy it needs to overwinter.With proper care, agapanthus flowering occurs repeatedly for several weeks throughout the season, then this perennial powerhouse returns to put on another show the next year. Agapanthus is a nearly indestructible plant and, in fact, most agapanthus varieties self-seed generously and may even become somewhat weedy.
What is the lifespan of an agapanthus?
It is a perennial plant that can live for up to 75 years. Its evergreen leaves are 2 cm wide and 50 cm long. Its inflorescence is an umbel. The flowers are blue, purple or white and bloom from late spring to summer, followed by capsules filled with black seeds. They can vary in colour between glaucous and deep green. The individual flowers are quite large and are carried on short stems in a many-flowered umbel, a single one of which can carry as many as 150 blooms. Their colour can vary from white through pale blue to a very deep, almost violet, blue.It is a perennial plant that can live for up to 75 years. Its evergreen leaves are 2 cm wide and 50 cm long. Its inflorescence is an umbel. The flowers are blue, purple or white and bloom from late spring to summer, followed by capsules filled with black seeds.
Do agapanthus like sun or shade?
Agapanthus plants thrive in well-drained soils, preferring full sun but also tolerating partial shade. Their resilience against drought, once established, further enhances their appeal. Plant in full sun – agapanthus require direct sunlight for at least two-thirds of the day. Too much shade and the flower stems will become weak and extended, if they appear at all.Avoid fertilizing your Agapanthus plants with high nitrogen fertilizers – use instead a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 5-5-5, or slightly higher in phosphorus than nitrogen. Suspend any fertilizer to either potted or in-ground plants by late summer.Plant the roots so that the crown is around 5cm deep. If your Agapanthus already have leaves or shoots, plant the roots with the leaves exposed above the soil surface. Space the plants around 15-20cm apart from each other. Water-in thoroughly after planting and water regularly while in full growth.In places with cold winters, agapanthus plants will need to be brought indoors for protection. They should be potted up and placed in a sunny window. Most species are borderline hardy in zones 6 and 7, so plants left outdoors will need to be heavily mulched and potentially covered during hard freezes.
What are the common problems with agapanthus?
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Drooping Agapanthus, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests. Agapanthus look great when planted with drifts of ornamental grasses, sun-loving rudbeckias and goldenrod (Solidago). Most agapanthus are hardy and their leaves die down in winter. Evergreen forms are more tender and usually need the shelter of a greenhouse from early winter to spring.Plant agapanthus in spring, ideally in March or April. Some varieties can be planted in September.They are easy to grow, preferably sown fresh and pricked out individually next spring. With a bit of luck they should come to flower the following season. Read our simple steps on growing agapanthus from seed, below.Some agapanthus need a little more care than others over winter: The hardiest deciduous plants can be left in the ground over winter. In the autumn, cover the crown with about 7cm of mulch (e.Yellow leaves in winter are often a sign of natural dormancy, especially in deciduous agapanthus varieties like Agapanthus inapertus. This seasonal dieback helps the plant conserve energy in its rhizome. Allow the foliage to die back naturally and only remove it once fully brown and dry.
Can agapanthus stay outside in winter in the UK?
Winter care Most deciduous agapanthus are hardy to -10°C and can be grown in a border and mulched with chip bark in a particularly cold winter. Agapanthus are sun-loving. So, whether you plant in borders or containers, make sure the location gets plenty of sun. Borders: Agapanthus do best in well-drained soil. You’ll need to dig a hole to approximately the same depth as the pot the plant was in when you bought it.Although agapanthus are drought-tolerant you’ll still need to water your pots at least a couple of times a week through the summer. They’ll also benefit from a high-potash liquid feed once a week to promote good flower development.Asiatic lilies, alliums, cosmos, zinnias, and ornamental grasses are all effective companions when using Agapanthus as the focal point or an accent. Also, ensure that any companion plant thrives in full sun to part shade, and tolerates moderately moist soil with excellent drainage year-round.Agapanthus thrive in full sun and need 6-8 hours of sunlight each day. However, they do better in partial shade in hot climate areas. Agapanthus perform best in fertile, moist, and well-drained soil. They show no preference for pH, except Agapanthus africanus which prefers an acid soil.Select The Right Site. Agapanthus thrive in full sun and need 6-8 hours of sunlight each day. However, they do better in partial shade in hot climate areas. Agapanthus perform best in fertile, moist, and well-drained soil.